Auto-light dimmer.



A. A. FLORY.

AUTO LIGHT DIMMEH.

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1,204,350. Patented. Nov. 7, 1916.

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AUTO LIGHT IHMMER.

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1,204,350. Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW A. FLORY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO GRAND RAPIDS DIMMER COMPANY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed December 9, 1915. Serial No. 66,005.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANDREW A. From, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auto-Light Dimmers; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an auto light dimmer and means for operating the same. The object and purpose of the invention is to provide devices of this character of novel construction together with effective means for operating the same so that the glare of an approaching head light in a motor vehicle may be lessened and the light dimmed for any desired period of time and thereafter permitted toglve light to its full intensity.

The dimming of automobile head lights is especially desirable when an automobile is meeting any other vehicle on the road. The various constructions and operations thereof by which my invention attains these endsiare disclosed in the accompanying drawings, illustrating several embodiments -of the inventlon.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a partial sectional and side elevation illustrating diagrammatically one method of operating, and one construction of dimmer. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional and side elevation of the application of the dimmer to the light. Fig. 3 is a front view thereof. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing another method of operatin the dimmer and another constructlon of immer. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the air piston which operates .the dimmer in the construction shown in Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and '7 illustrate further modifications of dimmer constructions.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The head lights of a motor vehicle are positioned at its front and in the drawings he casing of a headlight is indicated at 1 with the Ii ht bulb 2 located in this nosing. In all of-t e constructions shown, an operating pushv rod 3 is used which is located back of and below the light bulb. Various types of dimmer construe tions are illustrated in the drawings the first of which, shown in Figs. 1. 2 and 3, comprises. three sectors 4 pivoted between ears on a ring 5 fastened around the socket 6 with which the light bulb i2 detachably connects. Two of the sectors l are normally adapted to swing to the rear under the i1i-' fluence of coil s xirings 7 while the middle lower section normally drops by gravity so that the normal position of the sectors is that shown in dotted. outline in Fig. 3. Surrounding the rear portion of the sectors and also the socket G is a ring 8 which is connected to the front end of the push rod 3, it being apparent that if this rod is moved for ward the ring contacting with the sectors brings them together in close relation as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and also as shown in Fig. 2. W'hen the push rod is moved to the rear the sectors are released to occupy their normal position.

In Fig. 4 a modified construction of diml'n'er is shown, there being a ring 9 secured to the front end of the rod 3 while a block 10 is located hack of the bulb :2 and attached to the socket 6. Between the ring 1 and block 10 a collapsible screen 11 is located, it being adapted to expand and collapse with the movement of the ring to outer and inner positions, the movement of this ring occurring simultaneously with the movement of the rod 3. A further modification is shown in Fig. 6 in which a sector 12 is pivotally mounted on the socket (1, normally by gravity occupying the full line position shown in Fig. 6 but which on forward movement of the push rod 3 will take the upper position shown in dotted lines to cover the lower half of the light bulb.

A. still further modification of the dimmer is illustrated in Fig. 7 in which a plurality of sectors 13 are mounted on a ring 14 directly back of tre ight bulb 2 while the push rod. 3 is connec ed to a movable rin 15 loosely mounted around the socket 6, t ere being link connections 16 between this ring and each of the dimmer sectors 13. It is evident thatback and forth movements of the ring 15 serve to open: or close the dimmer sectors.

I have shown two methods of'operating the push rod. In the first shown in Fig. 1 the push rod 3 extends to the rear through a bushing 17 connected with a light casing 1 and thence through a. metal tube 18 connect- Patented Nov. 7'. 1916.

in at its rear end with a lever 19 which is ])i\'()t:lll} mounted between its ends on the inrlined i'oot board 20 of the forward rompartment of a motor vehicle. By messing upon the upper end of lever 19 push rod 3 may be projeeted in a Forward direction to operate the dimmer shown in Fig. l and it will be elear that any ol the other types of dimmers shown in l ies. l, land 7 may be opo'rated in the Fullu' manner. The friction of rod :3 in the tube 18 ill be sullieient to hold the dimmer in plave when onee operated thereto. 'lo plaee the diunner in inoperative position pressure is applied to the lower end of the lever 15!.

In Figs. t, a and (i a pneumatic structure is made use of to operate the push rod, the rod 3 in this modifieation being of eo1nparalively short length and extending into a eylinder 21. At the rear end of the rod 3 a piston head is provided which includes the valves 2;! and 2? extending in opposite directions as shown. The cylinder 31 emineetsv with a tube it whieh may be of any suita le material. the tube at its rear end connecting with a union 25 \vhieh eommunieaies with the lower end oi a o5 'l'inder 26. it will be understood in this connection that, as there are two head lights, the strueture which is being described is duplicated t'or each head light and the tubes ill (0111C together and unite before reaehing the union 25. Similarly' in many eases there are in addition to the head lights, dash lights, two in number. and the tube '27 may lead one to eaeh of these lights for operation of a dimmer assoeiated with each of these lights. The up per ends of the erlinder .Zti s-rl a into a plate 28 whirh is atta .'lie l to the foot board 20. l't'ithin the eylinder 26 a piston havinu' opposed valves 29 and Ill] which is normally held in llilllil',l)ti llll1l1l3) a stiwaig eoil sprin; 3]. An operating rod ii pivotally 'onneeted with the piston passes through an open in; in the cap 28 and is provided in one side with a notch 315 and at its outer end with an operating head 34. in the operation of the deviee pressure is applied to the head 34 and air eompressed in front of the piston \vhieh passing; through the tubes 2% operates against the valve 23 causing a forward movement of the rod 3 to actuate the dimmer. \Vhen the operating rod 32 has been forced to downward position it may be moved so that its notch receives a portion of the rap 28 as shown in Fig. 5, thereby holding the parts in the position. shown in Figs. 4 and 5. VVhian the light is to be again projected with its full force rod 32 is disengaged from the cap 28 and spring 31 moves the piston head upwardly with considerable foree thereby creating a suction in the lube 21 so that the pressure of air against valve 2'3 eauses the operating rod 3 to move to the rear.

Man); other modifications in detail of strueture may be resorted to without departing; from my invention whieh defined in the appended rlaims. Accordingly 1 coin sider mvsell' entitled to all modifications falling: within their seope 1.. In combination, a light bulb, a dimmer construction ineluding a sector pivotally mounted adjaeent the bulb and adapted in one position to partially cover said bulb, a push rod mounted adjacent the bulb, means to move the rod bank and forth and operative engagement between said rod and seetor for turning the seetor to operative ,posi tion on forward movement of the rod.

2. ln (,Hll'llliIlHlilUll, a light bulb, a dimmer eonstruetion ll'n'ltltlillg a plurality of sectors pivotallv mounted adjaeent the bulb and adapted in one position to partially cover the bulb, a push rod movably mounted back of the bulb, a ring secured thereto, said ring having operative engagement with the sectors to close them on forward movement of the push rod, and means for moving the rod bark and forth.

3. In eombinatioi'i, a light bulb, a dimmer eonstria-tion movably mounted. adjacent the bulb, a push rod mounted back of the bulb operating the dimmer ei'instruedon to partially cover the bulb on forward movement of the rod, a ovlinder, a piston on. the rod loeated in the cylinder, a tubular connection to the eyliuder, and means to alternately raise and lower the pressure in said tube. above and below normal atmospheric pressure. substantially as deseribed.

i. in eombination, a light bulb, a dimmer vuustrue ion, n'iovably mounted ad'aeent the bulb, a push rodv u'iounted back 0, the bulb operating the dimmer construction on forward movement of the rod to partially cover the bulb, a eylinder, a piston 0n therear end of the rod located in the cylinder, a tubular connection to tie cylinder, a cylinder eonneeted to the opposite end of the tubular eonnection, a piston thereon, an operating rod secured thereto having a notch in one side thereof, a cap to the cylinder through .vhieh the rod passes, and having a part adapted to seat in said notch when the operating rod is moved to one position, and a coiled spring inter used betweenthe piston and end of the cy inder tending to return the piston to normal position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ANDREW F LORY. 

